The invention relates to a method of preparing a zirconium-manganese alloy suitable for storing hydrogen.
An article entitled "Hydrogen Absorbtion and Desorption Properties of AB.sub.2 Laves-Phase Pseudobinary Compounds" by D. Shaltiel et al (Journal of the Less-Common Metals, volume 53 pages 117-131, 1977 discloses that a compound having the composition ZrMn.sub.2 is capable of absorbing hydrogen. At a hydrogen pressure of 8 atmospheres at room temperature, 1 molecule of ZrMn.sub.2 can absorb 3.6 atoms of hydrogen. However at 50.degree. C. the hydrogen pressure of the compound ZrMn.sub.2 H.sub.3.6 was only 0.007 atmospheres. At 80.degree. C. this pressure is as low as 0.03 atmospheres. According to British Patent Specification No. 1,508,764, the binary alloys of zirconium with manganese, such as ZrMn.sub.2, are not suitable for practical use for hydrogen storage as they have insufficient plateau pressures at suitable temperatures and pressures.